Yahoo News Arson-struck Thornaby FC begins clubhouse rebuild after 'devastating' attack
An arson-hit Teesside football club has taken the next step in the resurrection of its clubhouse.
Following the "mindless" attack in June, last year, the Thornaby FC community was left devastated when sections of its stadium, Teesdale Park, on Acklam Road, had been burnt to the ground. The main stand, shop, office block and community room all required a major rebuild, which led to representatives at the club reaching out online in a call for help.
Thornaby FC’s secretary, Trevor Wing estimated the damage to be around £130,000 while Cleveland Police launched an arson investigation.
During the past 10 months, North East based Oakes Energy, in collaboration with Smith Brothers Stores Ltd and Wolseley Group, have donated time and resources, by supplying and installing equipment such as water heaters, pipework and sanitaryware, including toilets and sinks.
Trevor Wing, chief executive at Thornaby FC, said: “The service from Oakes and its partners has been absolutely fantastic and we’re very grateful for all the work they have done over the past 10 months. We’re hoping that our new facilities will be open to supporters and members in the community within the next few weeks.”
Curtis Simpson, project engineer at Oakes Energy said: “After speaking to Trevor and seeing the devastation the fire had caused, we decided to come together with our partners Smith Brothers Stores Ltd and Wolseley Group and get as much as possible done for the club. At Oakes it’s not just about environmental sustainability, it’s also about sustainability within communities. A lot of clubs rely on volunteers, donations, and fundraising, and is a reason why we love to help when we can.”
Thornaby FC was ‘devastated’ to see the wreckage to its clubhouse and the grounds and the incident was described as a “hammer blow to everyone connected to the club”. The goalposts, clubhouse and picnic area were all damaged by the fire.
Cleveland Fire Brigade ruled the incident as ‘malicious’. A spokesperson for the brigade said there were “four fire engines in attendance - two from Thornaby, one from Middlesbrough and one from Stockton ”.
She added that a seating area was “100% damaged by fire” and there was “slight damage to guttering and exterior wall of the clubhouse”. A fundraising page was also set up to help the club, with over £15,000 raised by the community.
